Change of Pace
by Renard Prower
Summary: Amidst the everyday rut of peaceful life in New Mobotropolis, two former Freedom Fighters may find that to escape the pain of their past relationships, they need each other more than they would've suspected.
1. Prologue

**-Prologue-**

Today, I had to run. It's ironic to think that I could never outrun him.

I always thought that we were meant to be together. Through everything, even when we fought, even when we didn't see each other for months at a time; even when I was roboticized, and... and... ...and then the reboot*. Over the years, every time something split us up, I still had this feeling that he was the one for me. That one day everything would make sense, and ultimately, we could be together. Now, nothing makes sense.

I'm so confused. A couple of years back, when we finally found Eggman's main robot foundry and took it down, causing the Robotnik Wars to gradually dwindle to a close, I thought we'd be able to have a normal relationship. I hoped I could get him to settle down with me and finally be the happy, normal couple everyone wanted us to be. But I was wrong. I suppose it was foolish on my part to think he might settle down with me... nobody can slow down Sonic the Hedgehog.

I wish I could accept Sonic's way of living. He's always running off somewhere, looking for another adventure. I enjoy his spontaneity sometimes, everyone does—but it's gone too far. I can't take it anymore. But... I can't just up and forget about him. And I'm scared that he'll just reel me back in any day now with his charms. _Oh, how desperately I want him to—_

"NO!" I quickly cupped my hands over my mouth. The driver seemed unaffected, thank Aurora, but the other three passengers on the solemn, dimly-lit bus were all staring at me from their seats. One of which, a brown hound of some kind, had apparently just been jolted awake as he rubbed the back of his head from hitting the window by his seat. I slowly lowered my hands as I gave an apologetic glance to each of my fellow passengers in turn.

"Sorry," I said, to no one in particular. "Nightmare." This seemed to satisfy the other bus-goers as they turned to face the front once more, staring out the front windshield into the darkness of the city road ahead. After adjusting a strand of my auburn hair, I elected to perch my chin in the chestnut fur of my left hand as I lazily gazed out the window next to me, not really paying attention to the asphalt below or the night all around. My brief description of the incident just now wasn't all that far from the truth; the past few days have been a living nightmare.

I need help. And there's only one person I can think of who's level-headed and knows me well enough to get me through this. I glanced down at a pair of azure blue combat boots on my feet before shutting my eyes tight and wishing with all my might that when I got off the bus and reached my destination, my friend would be there to help me. _I really hope he's home..._

* * *

 **Welcome one, welcome all! I've recently been inspired to open up a new story in the Sonic universe. And apparently, right off the bat, our spiny blue hero is causing problems? Bizarre! I hope we find out what's going on soon; I want this girl to start feeling better already. Sounds like she needs a hug.**

 **Speaking of our protagonist, have you figured out who it is yet? If not, it's _probably_ in the description of the story, and if you're reading this far enough in the future, it may even be in the next chapter! Sorry this first part is so short; it's only meant to get your mouth watering! I promise the upcoming chapters will be longer. **

**I'm really excited about this project, everyone. Please review! Thanks for reading!**

*"The reboot" refers to the universal reboot as a result of the Super Genesis Wave. That being said, this story is canon with the Archie Sonic comics up through at least _StH_ #252 and some surrounding events.

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own any part of SEGA or Archie Comics, nor any of their properties.**


	2. Chapter One

**-Chapter One-**

If anyone has ever said that the streets of New Mobotropolis are lively by day, they're certainly still buzzing at night. All along the main roads, the motor vehicles aren't excessively common, but the sidewalks are just as active, if not as loud, from dusk to dawn as they are during daylight hours. Mobians both native to the bustling city and from all around the globe are up and down Towne Street under the light of the mellow street lamps and well-lit windows, as well as a few neon business signs, going to and from popular stops such as the Knothole Pub, Chuck's 365 Diner, and the Mobo-Grande Concert Hall. Even at witching hour, not a soul in Mobotropolis fears the dark, as there are always people to meet and places to be in the City of Hope.

But on this particular night, there was one fox who, though out in the thick of it all, wasn't part of the buzz of the night crowd. He walked at his own pace; leisurely, if a bit tiredly, he strolled past all the hot spots seemingly unnoticed by all the hubbub carrying on around him. He rounded the corner onto another street, significantly smaller, and calmer for that matter, than the one from which he had just recently turned. As he paced down the modest sidewalk, his path now only lit by the dim street lamps lined up along the route, he hummed a simple tune to keep his mind occupied. He knew that if he didn't preoccupy his senses, some unwanted thought would creep into his mind and prevent him from resting for the rest of the night.

As the young mobian neared his destination, his little humming tune transformed into a sort of idle whistle. Both his tails swayed up and down to their own shared tempo, opposite each other but ever in sync. The young man approached a mid-sized six story building and ascended a small flight of porch steps to a single door at the front. Entering the door without hesitation, he brought his whistling and humming to a sudden stop altogether. Being as it may that he wanted to occupy his mind, he made a point to be courteous, and wished not to disturb other residents of the building at this hour.

The fox's bright blue eyes were somewhat lidded, now more evident in the full fluorescent light of an apartment building. As he passed a wide, green countertop on one side of the lobby, he earned a smile and a nod from a grey wolf who sat behind the counter, and politely returned the gesture while continuing on his way. Making his way to the rear of the open room, he approached a wall decorated by a grid of stainless steel squares, each with small hinges on one side and a keyhole on the other. Pulling out a small key, he slid it into the panel designated "413" and turned it to unlock his mailbox. He was disappointed to find nothing of interest inside the small compartment other than an engraving just inside the door that read, "Prower."

 _Damn,_ Tails thought. _Nothing today._ He chuckled to himself and closed the mailbox once more, turning to head toward a nearby flight of stairs. _I guess I shouldn't be surprised; I payed all the bills ahead of time and nobody else writes me unless it's my birthday._ Seemingly satisfied with his little personal joke, Tails began to ascend the steps.

Unfortunately, with the obligatory mail-check out of the way, Tails found the lack of an occupation for his mind beginning to sink in. He reeled through many different topics in his head, not wanting to think about anything strenuous as he was already tired enough. _That plane is getting harder and harder to keep up with,_ he thought. The Tornado II was originally Sonic's plane, but was bequeathed to Tails due to the attachment he grew to it during the wars. Over the years, the Tornado soared through many harsh battles and chases, getting beat up and subsequently repaired nearly every time it was flown. While she was still a great plane, and the two-tailed fox always kept her in fine condition by taking the utmost care in his repairs and maintenance, she was getting older. And as of late, with Tails always busy enough doing heavy jobs for clients, the Tornado was starting to get in the way.

 _I don't want to admit it, but it may be time to let her go soon,_ he thought solemnly as he rounded the corner to another flight of stairs. He could always get another plane; that wasn't the hard part. What hurt was the thought of having to let go of the one he was closest to, the machine that had fought beside him, that he knew like no one else did. He'd always have his memories of the blue baron, but if he had to let her go, he'd never be able to have the same connection with another plane again.

Thinking of his attachment to the Tornado almost reminded Tails of... _NO._ He didn't want to think about that right now, of all things. _Keep your cool, Prower. You're happy for her._ He'd spent too many years hiding his feelings for one person in particular. He wasn't about to start letting it get to him now. He just considered himself lucky to still have her as a friend. That's why he could never tell her; he was afraid that it would push her away. And then he'd have nothing...

Somehow, in all this ponderous thought about personal problems, the young fox suddenly found himself standing in front of the door to his apartment. _How long have I been standing here?_ he wondered. _I hope nobody passed by while I was spaced out like that..._

Shrugging his shoulders indifferently, Tails pulled out his keys once more and inserted one into the deadbolt. As he turned the key to unlock the door, he found that the lock slid easily and without a resolute *click*. "What the hell..?"he mumbled at the door. _Did I forget to lock the door this morning?_ Turning the knob to the now-worrisome door, the confused kitsune paused for a moment to think back to the morning prior. _No,_ he told himself, _I definitely remember locking up._ He had accidentally dropped his keys in the hall earlier that day as he attempted to lock the door while balancing a large box of spare parts in his other arm. Carefully maneuvering his left tail, he was able to pick up the keyring with the tail-tip and bring it back up to his hand, making sure to lock the door steadily this time.

Back in the present, the former Freedom Fighter's past experience with ambushes and traps had taught him better to be safe than sorry. Bracing himself for anything, he cautiously pushed the door out of its snug frame in such a way that it made as little sound as possible, and then quickly swung it halfway open to reveal...his dark, empty apartment.

Tails breathed in a sigh of relief. _Well, that was easy._ The dim light flooding in from farther down the hallway revealed the silhouettes of everything in his small entryway and the living room just past that. Everything seemed to be as he left it. The lamp in the corner was shut off to keep the electric bill down, his brown coat hung on the wall hook just inside the door, the large furry lump was resting on the sofa, the—

With hedgehog-like haste, the limber young fox slid inside the door and quickly closed it behind him. _I don't remember having a pillow that big._ Tails silently creeped over toward the sofa until he was close enough to make out the faint outline of the furred intruder. _Whoever or whatever this is, I can hear them breathing._ It seemed to be about his size, perhaps slightly smaller, and its midsection was steadily rising and falling as though it were...

"Asleep," he whispered.

Still exercising caution, Tails creeped away from the couch and in the direction of a tall reading lamp. Carefully reaching out, he attempted to locate the lamp so as to turn on the switch, but was surprised to find that he'd accidentally missed the lamp as his hand suddenly tapped the wall. Startled, the young mobian drew his hand back in alarm, knocking into the lamp in the process. He failed to catch it, allowing it to fall into his bookcase and make a clatter before landing sideways on the floor. After a split second of silence, he heard a rustling sound from the direction of the couch. _Shit!_ was all he had time to think; acting as fast as his heart was beating, Tails leaped to his right and flipped a switch on the wall to turn on the central overhead light in the room.

"Aah!"

Tails heard the shocked cry of his apparently female intruder as both were momentarily blinded by the sudden flood of light in the room. Before his "guest" had time to react, the fox leaped toward the brown and blue blur of the other party. His realization was too late—he couldn't halt his tackle before he landed awkwardly on the couch, all four limbs pinning down the frightened form of—

" _Sally?!_ "

* * *

Tails stared down at the shaking form of the woman in front of him. His brain was wracked with confusion, remorse, and a bit of residual fear as his heart pumped even faster now than it had when he sensed potential danger just moments before. He knew he'd be okay; it was Sally, for Aurora's sake. But the young fox still wanted to know what she was doing here, and for that matter, how she got in without permission. Not that Sally needed his permission to stop by; she was his oldest and most trusted friend, perhaps even more so than Sonic. But that still didn't explain how she came to rest on his small leather sofa so late at night.

"Miles?" Sally called. Her fear was starting to ebb away as she realized it was only the vulpine inventor who had recklessly disturbed her slumber. But he had been perched over her, panting, a worrisome glint in his eyes for nearly two full minutes now. She was starting to worry about him. "Miles!"

This seemed to catch his attention as Tails' eyes refocused, his muzzle closing briefly as he shook his head to clear it. "Sally, how'd you get in here?"

Sally locked her gaze on him as she responded. "Your spare key."

Tails thought about this for a moment. _Of course!_ he remembered. When he'd first moved into this apartment about three years back, the building manager gave him a second key despite the fact that Tails lived by himself. He decided it would be better to give the key to someone close to him than to just have it lying around the apartment somewhere. Being his best friend, his first thought was obviously Sonic, but he dismissed this almost immediately based on the fear that the rambunctious hedgehog would lose the key faster than he could say, "That's no good." With no need for cautious consideration, Tails' obvious choice was the leader of the Freedom Fighters and his single other greatest friend in the world, Sally Acorn.

"Um... Miles?" Sally requested with a slight chuckle, bringing Tails' mind back to the world of the living once more. Looking down at her face, which bore a flustered if not slightly amused expression, he saw that she was gazing at her arms and legs, which were still pinned down by the golden-furred fox's slightly larger body. "Can you..?"

"Oh, my gosh!" Tails exclaimed in sudden embarrassment, hopping off of his friend and offering a hand to help her sit up. "I'm so sorry, Sally. I thought you were... i-it's just... what are you doing here?" the stuttering fox managed to inquire.

Sally's face darkened a bit as she seemed to be recalling some less-than-pleasant recent event. "I, um..." She paused, unsure of what to say, and glanced at the spot next to her on the sofa. Tails seemed to understand, sitting down next to the princess and offering her a warm smile that seemed to say, _"It's okay, you can tell me."_ Sally shifted in her seat and looked up into the fox's big, blue eyes. She shivered. _It's a bit cold in here..._ she reasoned with herself. Finally taking a deep breath, she addressed her friend.

"I need your help," she admitted. She adjusted a strand of auburn hair with her right hand as Tails looked on, waiting for her to elaborate. Her eyes clouded and a single tear rolled down her right cheek. "It's...about Sonic."

Ten thousand lightbulbs suddenly cut on and then exploded in Tails' head as he realized what this was all about. For years now, contrary to popular belief, the first person Sally would run to for advice was not Amy, not Bunnie, not even Nicole. Every time there was a rift between herself and the blue hedgehog, Sally would come straight to Tails for comfort. The kitsune didn't mind it, of course; he was always happy to help his friends, especially the royal chipmunk. But every time Sally would come to him crying about their latest fight, Tails secretly felt a bit more resentment for his best pal.

Sonic and Sally seemed to have some sort of strange connection. Ever since they were young, there was a playful air of romance between the two Freedom Fighters, and everyone could see it. Through thick and thin, no matter how much hurt had been dished out, they would always wind up back in each other's arms. It was popular assumption to all those who had ever met the pair that they were a destined "Hero and Princess" couple. As for Tails, when he was young, he merely appreciated the strong bond between his "big bro" and his "Aunt Sally". But children have to grow up.

One day, when he was fifteen, Tails was walking down an empty hallway at Freedom Fighter HQ. As he passed one of the rooms on the right, he heard a faint whimpering from behind the door. Curious, he gently turned the knob and pushed the door open to investigate. It did not take long to find the source of the sound, for the only living thing in the room was Sally, who lay on her bed, head in her hands, crying. Tails, unsure of what to do in such a situation, stood motionless in the doorway for a moment before coming all the way in and shutting the door behind him. This seemed to startle the young princess as she gasped and jumped up into a sitting position. Her eyes, red and shaking from how long she must have been sobbing, were wide open and fixed on the fox standing before her. It didn't take long for her to start trembling again, and the caring kitsune swooped in and wrapped her in a hug just as she began bawling once more.

* * *

" _What's wrong, Aunt Sally?" Tails asked sweetly as the young woman's tears finally ceased and her shudders slowed to a slight shivering._

 _She looked reluctant to explain. "I-its nothing. Don't worry about it, sweetie." Sally appreciated that her friend was there to comfort her, but she didn't want to bother one so young with the type of problems she was going through. But young Tails didn't look satisfied with this response._

" _I'm not a little kid anymore, y'know. You can tell me anything." The young mobian gave his signature warm smile that could stop the heart of an angel. Sally nearly melted as she considered what her younger friend had just said._

" _...You're right, Miles," she finally agreed. Tails was confused by her use of his real first name; no one but his mother had called him that in years. It felt...good, somehow, coming from his respected older friend. "You're not a kid anymore." She drew him into a tight hug, and Tails couldn't help but notice how warm her embrace was; her strong, comforting arms holding him close, the soft, sweet-smelling fur of her left cheek brushing against his own, and her plush, rounded chest making him feel strangely safe and at home._

* * *

From that day forth, Tails never again referred to Sally as his "Aunt"; somehow, it didn't feel right anymore. He was maturing, and the time for childish rituals was over. After Sally explained what had happened between her and Sonic that day, Tails made her promise to never suffer alone again. Over time, he became more and more wary of the blue hedgehog. But he didn't let it affect their friendship, and he certainly didn't tell Sally either. Each time she would come to him over the years with news of a fight or a breakup, he would tell her it was going to be okay, sometimes even advise her on how to best approach the situation. And each time, Tails silently became a little more angry at Sonic for not realizing how damn lucky he was to have Sally around. Being his best pal, sometimes Sonic would come talk to him about it, too, but the blue blur would typically shrug off their problems as some kind of miscommunication and an overreaction on Sally's part.

As much as it angered him inside, there was a part of Tails that relished the days when the unfortunate couple would break up. Sally would run to him once more, usually crying her eyes out, and Tails would welcome her in with open arms. While their friendship was close to begin with, comforting Sally would lead to some of the tightest of hugs and the warmest of embraces. Not to mention that it was the most time they ever spent together, just the two of them, as trusted friends. Though he hated seeing the young woman cry, Tails couldn't help getting addicted to the gleam in her eyes and the way she held on to him as if for dear life as she whimpered the afternoon away. And this is how Tails came to tragically fall in love with the woman he knew he could never have.

He realized it one day when he was seventeen. It was Sally's twenty-second birthday, and all her closest friends had come to her apartment to celebrate. She lived in a complex downtown that had a large field and a pool right in the center; it was late August, so naturally everyone at the party was in their swimsuits having fun in the sun. Lo and behold, it was revealed about an hour into the party that Sonic himself had forgotten it was her birthday until that morning. After a few minutes of yelling back and forth in a heated argument that bowled through topics faster than the hedgehog could run, Sally, who was now on the verge of tears, interrupted Sonic's coarse yelling by delivering a backhand slap to his right cheek. She quickly did a double take and ran back to her room, tears streaming down her cheeks all the way.

* * *

 _Naturally, the young fox was the one to follow the now-crying chipmunk back to her apartment. He let himself in the door and locked it behind him. As he arrived in the doorway to Sally's bedroom, he found her sitting on the bed in a sort of fetal position, already staring at the door as though she'd been expecting him to come after her. She had still been damp from the pool, so there was now a large, wet spot where she was sitting. Her hair, which was also quite damp, hung long and limp over her furry shoulders, adding to the distraught effect of her current appearance. **It's kinda cute, though,** Tails couldn't help admitting to himself before he approached his feminine friend. _

_Sally's lips were tightly pulled in as she attempted to stop herself from crying any longer, but still tears rolled one by one and she was shuddering somewhat uncontrollably in place. Tails crossed the room, opening his arms, and as he came in range, Sally quickly grabbed him and drew him in to an embrace. In her haste, what she didn't seem to realize was that she'd pulled the head of the unsuspecting fox to rest comfortably right in between her soft breasts, the tops of which were exposed by her rather attractive blue bikini top. She held him close and he wrapped his arms around her back, stroking up and down gently with one hand. **I'm not sure whether she realizes where she's got my face,** Tails thought to himself, **but it feels really nice...** They lay there silently for a few minutes, the younger stroking gently and the elder holding on dearly. _

_Once she'd finally managed to stop shaking and there were no more tears dripping down, Sally was the first to break the soothing silence. "Thank you, Miles," she said. The young fox slowly lifted his head up to hold her gaze. "Thank you for always being there for me. You're a really great friend."_

 _Tails smiled at her the same sweet way he always did. "O-of course, Sally." He was truly happy that he could always be there for her, and he wouldn't have it any other way. But at that moment, basking in the radiance of her smile, he'd finally come to accept something he'd worried about for quite some time, something that he feared he could never tell the one person who was most important to him._

 _ **It's because I love you...**_

* * *

Reeling himself back to the present, Tails focused on Sally's gaze once more. She'd just asked him a question.

"I'm sorry, Sally; what was that?" he inquired, feeling slightly embarrassed for spacing out again.

Sally gave him a small smile and a curious look. "I asked if you're okay," she repeated. "You seem a bit out of it right now. Is it because I came in without telling you?"

If he was being honest, she had startled him by being here, silently waiting for him to arrive. But he secretly knew that this had nothing to do with his absentmindedness since learning of her arrival. "Ah—no, no, it's nothing like that. It's just a bit late, is all," he told her half-truthfully. Glancing at a clock on the wall, he read the time to be 2:03 AM.

Sally seemed to accept this. "Oh," she replied, following his gaze. "I see your point... I got here a little after 10:30, but when I knocked a few times, there was no response. I didn't expect you'd be long, so I just let myself in to wait for you. I lit one of the candles on the bar and sat down, and...I guess I was more tired than I realized. I'm sorry, Miles..."

Tails hadn't previously noticed the scent of melted wax, but sure enough, he looked over at the bar and one of his candles was a little lower than it had been before. _The A/C must've put it out after she fell asleep,_ he reasoned. "It's okay, Sally. You didn't know I'd be working so late. Honestly, I hadn't planned on it myself. There's just so much going on lately..." he trailed off, briefly caught up thinking about business. "Anyway, it's late," he said, "and you're not going anywhere at this time; not on my watch." He glanced over at the door to his bedroom before refocusing his gaze on his auburn-haired friend.

"You can take my bed for the night, and we'll talk all about your troubles in the morning. Okay?"

The princess looked a bit taken aback. "I appreciate your letting me stay, Miles, but I can't just take—"

The fox placed a single gloved finger over his friend's lips, silencing her concerns and eliciting a lighthearted gleam in the eyes of the beautiful chipmunk. "I won't hear it. You're _my_ guest, and _I_ say you'll be staying in my bed. I'll sleep here. Understand?" he demanded playfully, trying to reserve a small smile but failing miserably as he removed his finger from the mouth of his impromptu guest.

Sally's smile grew a little more at this. "Fine," she said simply. She wrapped her dearest friend in a warm hug, momentarily rubbing her cheek against the soft fur of his chest before withdrawing and looking him in the eye once more. "Thank you, Miles. You're always there for me."

Tails beamed. "Of course I am, Sally. What are friends for?" As deeply as he cared about her and as truthfully as he meant every word, it pained him to have to remind himself that she'd never be more than his friend.

As if running on clockwork, Sally's face twisted into a deep yawn. She stood up and stretched her arms before slowly approaching the doorway to her bedroom for the night. As she entered the door and began to shut it behind her, she stopped it with a space just wide enough to poke her head through as she had a last minute thought. "Oh, and Miles?" she called. The fox in question did not respond, simply opting to look up at her and await whatever else she had to say.

"Good night." With a grateful smile, she receded into the room. As the door closed on the quiet apartment, a certain fox found himself alone in the dark once more.

* * *

 **Hello again all! I was so excited about this chapter that I wrote it all over the course of two nights. As promised, it's significantly longer than the prologue, which was only meant to be a teaser for the story to come. Now, the real fun begins!**

 **Poor Tails seems to be harboring some pretty heavy feelings for the troubled Sally Acorn. And Sally has yet to explain what the most recent trouble is between herself and the legendary blue blur. What will come of all this? Personally, I can't wait to find out!**

 ** _Aren't you the one writing this story?_ **

**Yes, I am, but even I don't know the full details of what happens until it's published! A lot of conceptualizing and rewriting goes into a good story, Tails; most devoted writers will tell you that.**

 ** _Fair enough._**

 **Anyway, that's all for now, guys! Thanks so much for reading, and please don't hesitate to leave a review. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!**


	3. Chapter Two

**-Chapter Two-**

Tails awoke to golden sunlight peeking through the curtains and tickling his canine muzzle. He checked his alarm clock: 9:07 AM. As the young kitsune sat up and stretched his sleepy arms, something occurred to him. "Saturday!" he declared with a jovial grin. He hopped out of his bed and into the hot shower, preparing to start the day off right. Once out of the shower, the jubilant kitsune slipped on his favourite white gloves and went to prepare a bowl of his favourite cereal: "Power Rings". Breakfast in hand, he plopped down on the sofa and flipped on the TV just in time to catch his favourite SatAM cartoon at 9:30.

Though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, twenty-three year old Tails still liked to start off his weekends just right: by embracing the little kid in him. He found that it was a good way to reconnect with his younger self. Considering how the war had been in full motion by the time Tails started to experience things for himself, he only had a sort of half-childhood. And as if he needed something to push him any faster, most of the other Freedom Fighters were several years older than him from the get-go, often treating him as the backup plan or the baby of the group. The two-tailed kit was practically forced to grow up too fast for the greater good, and with a swift kick from his own integrity, that's just what he did. Now, older and more experienced, he thought it fair to begin his Saturday morning by gorging a couple of juvenile desires.

This is what what he would have done on any other Saturday.

Tails was awoken by a sound. It was a very soft sound; very subtle. But his vulpine ears were fairly sensitive, and as he was accustomed to living on his own, any foreign noise was grounds for investigation. He checked the clock on the wall: 9:07 AM. As the young kitsune sat up and stretched his sleepy arms, something occurred to him. _Sally stayed here last night._ Just as this thought crossed his mind, he heard it again—the same sound that woke him up just a moment ago. He slowly turned and stood up from the sofa, intending to investigate the source of the murmur that was echoing through his head. _I must be hearing things,_ he told himself as he silently approached the door to his own bedroom. Steeling himself, he carefully turned the knob and pushed the door open just far enough to see inside.

There she was. The one and only Sally Acorn, sleeping soundly in his bed. _Like an angel..._ Tails mentally slapped himself as he indulged in impossible hope. He had been able to bury his anxious feelings for Sally for years. He would always love her, but he could never show her that. The poor avian longed for an opportunity to let her know how he felt; an opportunity to win her heart in return. But he had accepted long ago that his chances were slim to none.

In recent years, the young fox had even tried engaging himself in relationships with other women. It wasn't terribly difficult for him; he knew he was young, and apparently rather attractive. He knew he had a caring personality, almost to a fault. And he wanted to believe that if he could feel so strongly for Sally, he could find that level of care for another woman, too. But deep down, he knew that he was merely trying to distract his heart from the one it had already chosen.

His most recent relationship had been with New Mobotropolis' own pop star, Mina Mongoose. And it was wonderful! The two of them dated for about five months, got along very well on a personal level, and had even discussed the possibility of taking their relationship to the next level. Last August, when Mina's career was going to take her to Downunda for a few months, Tails had seriously considered her offer to come with her. He wanted so badly to run off with her and have exciting adventures on the other side of the world. He wanted to let Mina be the one. But on the morning Mina's plane departed...he did not go with it. His heart had already chosen. He could not leave Sally behind.

And now, here she was. The woman he had stayed behind for, turned down every other girl for, been there for on the best and worst of days, was nestled under the covers of his bed. _She's so beautiful,_ Tails couldn't help thinking. He'd dreamed of waking up and finding Sally Acorn in his bed, and now it was really happening. He only wished it were under somewhat different circumstances. _Sally, I know I must've imagined it, what I heard you say a moment ago,_ he thought, remembering the sound that he wanted to believe had woken him up a few minutes prior. _But if there's any possible way... someday, I'd like the chance to tell you how much you really mean to me. I want to show you how I feel, and I want you to give me a fair shot. Please..._

Tails felt a single tear form in his eye and streak down his left cheek as he longed to divulge his true feelings to the mobian who owned his heart. _Sonic's not the only one who can be your hero._

With that thought, the lovesick lupe shut the door as stealthily as he had first opened it, and left the vicinity. It's often funny, if a bit cruel, how the universe brings people so close to their dreams that they need only to reach out and grab the reigns. For if Tails had stayed at the door just a moment longer, he would've heard the softest of moans escape the lips of the sleeping princess. _"Miles..."_

* * *

The first thing Sally noticed when she woke was how cold it was. Not that the blanket she was wrapped in wasn't providing adequate protection from the elements. It was just that the bed itself felt...empty, somehow. As though something was missing. It was then that the young woman remembered just whose bed she was in. _Miles..._

There was nothing wrong with his adopted name. "Tails" was an appropriate and humorous nickname, and it was rather cute to boot. But Sally was aware when he was younger that Tails hated almost nothing more than the thought of being considered "cute". As he grew older and more mature, (which is saying something as the golden fox had always been somewhat wise beyond his years,) Sally developed a certain kind of respect and trust for him that she couldn't really put into words. And while she never found a fault in the name he chose to go by in public, she preferred the sound of his _real_ first name. Something about it was...comforting, and safe. Mature, and caring, like the fox it belonged to. So one day when she was nineteen, finding herself impressed as always by the character and conviction of her closest friend, she decided to address him by his real name from then on.

Picking up her gloves from the nightstand and slipping them on, Sally stood up out of bed and sidled over to the door. As she pried it open, her nostrils were overwhelmed by a medley of delectable aromas that were so rich she swore she could cut into the air and take a bite. Rounding the corner outside the bedroom door, the princess discovered the source. A certain two-tailed vulpine was working intently over the kitchen stove, preparing several different luxury breakfast items, all of which looked as delicious as they smelled. Sally watched with awe and a hint of gratitude for a moment before deciding to confront the happy cook.

"You didn't have to go to all this trouble for me, you know."

The fox seemed to be slightly startled, jumping a bit at the sound and glancing up very suddenly before smiling at the new presence in the room. Still grinning, he turned his gaze back down to the skillet which currently held half a dozen strips of sizzling bacon. "Nonsense, Sally," said Tails, intent on serving a delicious meal. "I haven't had a guest in weeks! I've been wanting to make a nice breakfast like this for a while now. And besides," he added, turning off the burner for the stove and directing his attention to his guest once more, "it's you."

Tails gave Sally a playful wink, prompting the princess to cover her mouth with her left hand as she let out an innocent giggle. "I am pretty great, aren't I?" she retorted with a wink of her own, sticking her tongue out in a silly way that she would only act out with her most trusted friends. Tails rolled his eyes at this, letting out a wholehearted chuckle before moving to set the table.

* * *

As they finished their meal about ten minutes later, both mobians stood up and started clearing the dishes off the table. "Thank you again, Miles," Sally said as she stacked both glasses on top of a couple of serving plates.

"Don't mention it, Sally," the friendly fox replied with a genuine smile, moving to place her stack of dishes on top of the rest and taking the whole lot to the sink to wash later. "Like I said, I wanted to do this!"

"Oh, yes," the princess responded quickly, "but I was talking about all of it." A wave of realization seemed to wash over Tails as he absorbed the fullness of what she had meant. "I kind of barged in on you last night, uninvited, and you just... let me stay. You don't know what it's like to have a friend like you."

Tails stood up a little straighter and looked the princess straight in the eyes. "Sure I do," he said, very seriously, "I have you." His eyes gleamed with kindness and admiration, but behind that there was a glint of something else that Sally couldn't quite make out.

"So," Tails continued, the gleam in his eye shifting to a look of expectancy and concern as his smile warped into a softer, more compassionate slope. "What happened with you and Sonic?" He returned to his seat at the dining room table and looked at Sally expectantly.

 _I guess it's about time to talk,_ Sally thought, retaking her own seat and gathering herself. She glanced up at her friend and saw only care in his expression, as he obviously wanted nothing more right now than to help her with her dilemma. Piecing together her thoughts, Sally tried to decide where to begin. She felt like she may be putting more on her friend this time than she ever had when she came to him before. But there was no turning back now, and she needed help.

"I broke up with Sonic last night," she began. Tails raised an eyebrow at this, but was not fazed. What was strange was not that the pair was broken up; that had happened about a dozen times before. But usually, it was Sonic that called it off due to Sally being "unreasonable" or "not giving him enough space" or because he simply got so angry that he exploded and ran off. But if Sally had not misspoken, which she rarely did, she was implying that she had been the one to cut the rope this time.

After a moment of silence during which Tails took in what he'd just been told and Sally sort of swallowed the information herself, the princess continued. "I can't deal with his crap anymore. I feel like I'm always fighting an uphill battle, and the main problem is that my opponent runs much faster than me. I just...can't keep up with his _bullshit!_ " she exclaimed, letting out quite a bit of pent up stress in the process. "I know he's your best friend, Miles, but he can be so childish and thickheaded! We've been playing this stupid little 'game' for _years_ now where he'll get fed up and bored with me, run off for a few weeks or a month, sometimes to hang out with other girls, sometimes just to be alone, and after a while he'll realize he misses me and come running back. And I've been dealing with that peacefully... I've tried to believe he'd slow down for me one day, because I always thought we were meant to be together. But this time... this time he's taken it too far."

Tails shifted in his seat. There was something off about the way she had said _"too far"_. "Forgive me for asking, Sally, but what do you mean by that?"

Sally looked as though she'd already been trying to find a way to explain that thought. Or perhaps it was just a matter of mustering up the courage to voice what was on her mind. She lowered her head for a moment, and when it came back up there were a few tears working their way down her face. _Good thing I don't have any makeup on,_ she thought sarcastically. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to find the words.

"Sonic...came over to my place last night a little after 9:00," Sally began again, clearly picking her words carefully as she visualized what had upset her so deeply. "...but he wasn't alone. He had someone with him, some friend of a friend, a cat named Sylvia." Tails' eyes widened, not really sure where this was headed but becoming increasingly concerned by the second.

"She had told him she wanted to have some 'fun,'" Sally continued, now whimpering a bit as she spoke, "so he happily invited her over and told her that we would... w-we would..." The princess trailed off, her eyes welling so much that Tails worried her irises may actually drown. He scooted his chair a little closer and wrapped his arms around her back, rubbing up and down with one hand as he silently comforted the woman he secretly loved more than she could know. As if someone were slowly turning off a hatch, Sally began to calm down once more and the built up tears gradually dispersed.

The princess cleared her throat and sat up a little straighter. "He knows how I feel about that kind of thing," she said firmly. "I want a romantic, committed relationship with no funny business. I won't judge other people for their lifestyle choices, but it's not okay to push that on someone. Needless to say, I kicked him out and told him not to come back. And a little while later, not sure what to do with myself...I came here."

Tails wasn't sure what to do with this information. He knew the blue hedgehog could be impulsive and had made some pretty stupid decisions, but this was an all-time low. Whether it was spiteful or just plain stupid, it infuriated Tails to think that his so-called "big bro" would dare push such a situation on Sally, of all people. _In a perfect world, I'd beat your ass for this,_ he thought in Sonic's direction. But it was not a perfect world, and right now, he needed to be there for Sally.

"Have you thought about how to confront him about this?" Tails asked curiously.

Sally chuckled once and glanced at the floor. "I'm not too worried about that," she said rather matter-of-factly. "I'm not taking him back anymore. I think this time, I'm finally over the fantasy. I've spent too many years of my life chasing after that stupid hedgehog, and by now I'm well aware that he can't be kept up with." She paused for a moment, thinking about her decision and what it might mean. "But I still have something to take care of."

Tails blinked. "What's that, then?"

The princess sighed, a slow sigh that carried the weight of business that wanted to be finished before it had even begun. "I need to forget about him."

Tails felt a rush of understanding for what must've been the umpteenth time that morning. While Sally may or may not remember it, Tails understood better than anyone what it was like trying to forget a forsaken love. For over a year after the fiasco with Fiona, Tails had been depressed and devastated beyond help. But Tails sensed that this was a different situation. Fiona had beaten him down, crushed his heart and then fled. Sonic was just immature and unworthy of Sally's time, and she wanted to forget about him voluntarily. For that matter, Tails had been merely twelve or thirteen years old when Fiona broke his heart; practically still a child. Sally was twenty-seven years old; she was looking for a serious relationship, and she would probably want to settle down before too long.

That was when it hit him. This could be his chance! His chance to finally express himself to the woman he loves, to woo her and show her how important she is. Tails only hoped he wasn't being too selfish; he wanted more than anything to help Sally forget about Sonic so she could move on and be happier. If he could do that by winning her heart himself, Tails might just fly straight up to the stars.

Staring at the woman before him, taking in every bit of her presence, the young fox re-appreciated something he'd surely thought to himself a thousand times. _She's so beautiful..._ He looked away once more. _But I can't tell her right now. Right now, I just need to help her avoid him._ Tails reforged eye contact with the princess. "Stay with me."

Sally looked a bit taken aback at the fox's response. "What do you mean?"

"Stay with me," he repeated, placing his right hand on her left shoulder. "You need to forget about Sonic, and I want to help you. You're absolutely right; he's done you wrong too many times, and you don't deserve to put up with it! So don't go home just yet. Stay with me, at least for the weekend. We'll hang out all day, and you don't have to go back home and stare at memories of him all over the place."

The chipmunk was still a bit taken aback by the sudden suggestion, but she was starting to seriously consider the prospect. "I...guess that's an idea. But Miles, are you sure? I mean, the last thing I want is to be a bother. You've already been so kind, listened and comforted me through my problems once again, not to mention me bitching about your best friend..." They both chuckled a bit at that last comment. Gathering herself, Sally smiled shyly but wholeheartedly at her golden friend, the fox whose altruism seemed to know no bounds. "Are you sure about this?"

Tails' eyes shone with a brilliance reflected off of the woman before him, and he wore the most genuine smile he'd ever conceived. "You could never be a bother to me, Sally. I want to help you."

Before Tails could react, Sally attacked him with a tight hug. She closed her eyes, resting her cheek on his shoulder. "You're the best friend a girl could ask for."

Tails smiled widely and sank into the hug. _I hope one day I can be even more..._ After a good ten seconds or so of absorbing the hug, Tails decided not to be greedy and slowly sat up straight, backing out of the warm embrace. _...and I hope I can_ _f_ _eel that again soon._ He rose from his seat with fresh enthusiasm. "Well, it's settled then!" he declared, extending a gloved hand to the unknowing object of his affections. She politely accepted the gesture with a hand of her own.

"So..." Tails continued as he pulled Sally up into a standing position,

"What should we do today?"

* * *

 **Hey there! This chapter was tough to write. I hope it came out okay, but all throughout I was worried about pacing and the characters being... well... in character. I'm just glad I got through this one, because I basically stayed up all night trying to finish it. ;p**

 **Went through a couple of conceptual changes with this chapter, too. For example, there was originally supposed to be a nightmare scene as a reference to the game _Catherine_ where Sally was running from a giant, mutated Sonic and jolted awake to find herself still in Tails' bed. I wasn't sure how well this scene would actually fit in with the tone of the rest of the chapter, and it was just a pain trying to write that part effectively, so I scrapped it. **

**Glad to be through this one, and super excited for what's coming next! If you've got even a moment to spare, _please_ leave a review; it'd be much appreciated! Thanks for reading, guys. ^_^**


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